MEDIA ADVISORY, Tuesday, July 31, 2007
CONTACT: Yoni Cohen, Stark (202) 225-3202

WASHINGTON, D.C. --The reviews are starting to come in. Across America, editorial boards are endorsing the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act, Democratic legislation to provide health care to 11 million kids, improve Medicare's benefits for seniors and people with disabilities, and protect Medicare from Republican efforts to privatize the popular and successful program.

The San Francisco Chronicle, “Not just children,” 07/30/07:

“It is a national disgrace that 8 million children lack health-care coverage. Fortunately, a bipartisan consensus among Democrats and Republicans is emerging in support of a significant expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

The consensus, however, doesn't extend to the Republican-in-Chief. President Bush seems far more committed to his costly surge in Iraq than a far less expensive surge in health coverage for children. He is inexplicably threatening to veto congressional proposals to expand S-CHIP between $35 billion and $50 billion. (Bush wants to chip in only $5 billion.)

But as much as health care for children must be a priority, it's only a small part of the health challenges facing the nation. Congress must also take action to contain costs and improve care to everyone, including those at the other end of the life cycle.

In the absence of elusive "comprehensive" reform, the proposed Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act, or CHAMP, makes a great deal of sense.”

Newsday, “Honest competition,” 07/30/07:

“Right now, private insurers operating Medicare Advantage Plans are paid 12 percent more per beneficiary than it costs to cover a person via traditional, government-run Medicare…

Congress should level the playing field between those private insurers and traditional Medicare by eliminating the overpayments. That way, Medicare could provide an accurate comparison between private versus public programs as the two sectors battled to enlarge their shares of the Medicare market.

Paying more to entice private insurers to offer Medicare Advantage Plans drives up premiums for the 35 million traditional Medicare beneficiaries and adds to the cost of Medicare generally, hurting the vital program's long-term sustainability. Paying the same amount for coverage, whether public or private, would allow for a fair test of which delivers more for consumers. Bush shouldn't be afraid of a little honest competition.”

The Sacramento Bee, “This health program is too important to let die,” 07/31/07:

“Governors of both parties, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, support expansion of the program. So does a broad range of medical and nonprofit groups.

Bush could face his first veto override if he continues to resist efforts to expand health insurance coverage for children. We'd prefer that he stick to his 2004 re-election promise to "lead an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for government health insurance programs." The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that 5 million to 6 million currently uninsured children are eligible but not enrolled.

Bush's suggestion that providing more children with access to health insurance will lead to a "government takeover of health care" is neither true nor helpful in reducing the number of uninsured children in the United States. But if Bush won't support the bills to expand coverage for uninsured children, Congress should press ahead. Deliver Bush his first veto override if necessary.

Children in the United States should not go without doctor visits and medicines because their parents don't get insurance through their jobs and cannot afford insurance on their own. SCHIP is a success worth renewing -- and expanding.”

The Washington Post, “A House bill has some good ideas for covering more of the uninsured,” 07/30/07:

“The House health-care bill unveiled last week has two noteworthy innovations. It would focus additional federal health-care spending on ensuring that poor children eligible for coverage actually receive it. And it would end expensive and unnecessary subsidies for managed-care programs for seniors while making new efforts to help the poorest seniors…

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that, under the House bill, in 2012, about 5 million children who would not otherwise have insurance would be covered... This would represent an impressive reduction in the more than 4 million children currently eligible but not enrolled...

House Republicans say they, too, want to concentrate on enrolling poor children. But they fail to provide enough money to do so effectively. Republicans have a competing proposal to extend the program, but it wouldn't provide enough to keep it going at current levels. Do House Republicans really want to be arguing for taking away health insurance from children who now have it?”